NCAA Tournament

ARLINGTON (CBSDFW.COM) - Two big NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament games are set to hit the hard court in Arlington on Friday night, putting Cowboys Stadium in the national spotlight. The stakes are high, not just because of the preparation that has gone into this year’s matchups, but because of what it could mean for next year.

Many fans are coming to Arlington from out-of-state, and many more will be watching the games on television. Local organizers are taking a lot of notes to prepare for 2014, when Cowboys Stadium hosts the Final Four.

The size of Cowboys Stadium, organizers said, is what makes Arlington the ideal place to host a big event like the Final Four. The football stadium’s size alone means that it can hold more people than, say, the American Airlines Center.

Cowboys Stadium is no stranger to a national stage. After all, the place has hosted the Super Bowl. But the Final Four is much different. A basketball court requires a very different setup than a football field. In addition to keeping a watchful eye on this weekend’s games, some planners will head to Atlanta — the host of this year’s Final Four — to take even more notes.

The goal is to make every detail of the event as fun and problem-free as possible. Organizers will be paying close attention to what works, what does not work, and what areas could be changed or enhanced.